Family allegiances split as Wallaby Pete Samu is hit by hometown ticket crisis
PETE Samu might have won a release from New Zealand Rugby to play for the Wallabies but convincing his parents to stop supporting the All Blacks? That could prove much tougher.
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PETE Samu might have got a hard-won release from New Zealand Rugby to play for the Wallabies but convincing his parents to stop supporting the All Blacks? That could prove much tougher.
Samu arrived back on “home turf” this week, returning to Melbourne with the Wallabies ahead of the second Test against Ireland on Saturday night.
The 26-year-old and his family call Melbourne home, having grown up in the south-eastern suburb of Cranbourne.
Samu began playing rugby as a youngster for Moorabbin Rugby Club and though he took off after school to pursue a rugby career, many of the flanker’s mates — and his brother Machon — still run around for the Rams.
“I started my footy there, playing in the under sixes,” Samu said.
“I started at five-eighth and then played on the wing, and then just slowly made my way into the back row. Now I am stuck there. I still have a lot of good mates who are still running around in club footy. My older brother is still running around. He is at Moorabbin still, playing in the back row.”
It will be a big day for the Samu clan on Saturday, with Moorabbin playing Power House in the Dewar Shield and then Pete — if selected — appearing in his second Test at AAMI Park.
ALLEGIANCE: Pete Samu - the true-blue Wallaby
DEPTH: Wallabies unearth backrow riches
With most of his family based in Melbourne, Samu knows he’ll have a few more people keen for tickets than the six people who flew to Brisbane for his Test debut.
“I will have to hit up a few of the boys for a few extras,” Samu said.
“I will probably need at least 30. I’d say I will be having a lot more family in the stands this week if I get a shot. I have a lot of family here, a lot of first cousins.”
Samu has always been a Wallabies fan but his America Samoa-born father and Samoan-born mum lived in Auckland before moving to Melbourne, and are fans of the dreaded black jersey.
Asked if his Wallabies debut had converted them to the good guys, Samu laughed: “Nah, I think they are still All Blacks supporters. But they will probably support the Wallabies when I am playing.”
With Ned Hanigan expected back, Samu will be jostling with Caleb Timu for a spot in the Wallabies’ second Test line up. Based on his debut effort from the bench — Samu may have his nose in front.
Wallabies coaches were extremely impressed with the Crusaders’ impact and workrate, both defensively and hitting breakdowns. Samu also forced a turnover penalty soon after coming on.
It was a memorable night, said Samu.
“It was good. I definitely had fun, I enjoyed it,” he said.
“My family were there, so it was good to be able to share that with them. I was quite emotional really. I looked up and saw my parents in the stands.
“I think the boys wore them down in the first half so it wasn’t too fast when I got on. But near the end the end there they just kept coming at us. It was good to be out there.”
The tussle between Rugby Australia and the NZR was a distant distraction but Samu said he tried to keep it out of his mind in the last few weeks.
“It was definitely good to get all that release stuff done but I honestly tried to not take too much notice,” he said.
“It was in the back of my mind but I was more focused to get over and get stuck in, and that was awesome to be able to do that.”
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